Why Aaliyah’s Music Can’t Be Streamed On Any Service

Music streaming service’s for most people have become a way of life. No one really has the time or disposable income to run out to the Target or what ever other store sells physical CD’s every time their favorite artist releases new music. Music streaming not only allows you to find your favorite music (old and new releases) within seconds but using some sort of tech algorithms these services suggest new music and even compile playlists for you. Streaming services know my musical taste better than I do sometimes.

These are all of Aaliyah’s songs that are available on Apple Music and most other streaming services. There isn’t even an option of buying them.

Any Aaliyah fan and music streaming service subscriber know we CANNOT find any of Babygirl’s music with the exception of her first album “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number”. After years of hopping from service to service and listening to sped up & slowed down renditions of Aaliyah’s beloved catalog on Youtube, I decided to get down to the bottom this.

So what’s the reason?

So the reason why Aaliyah’s music isn’t available for you to buy or stream is, you guessed it because of some messy music industry business involving Aaliyah’s former music label Blackground Records and owner of the label her Uncle Barry Hankerson. Hankerson managed Aaliyah and holds the masters to her music (with the exception of her first album Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number , which was produced by R. Kelly.

If you tuned into the six part Docu-Series on Lifetime, Surviving R. Kelly, you also know Barry managed Kelly as well and played a part in the fraudulent marriage between him and Aaliyah when she was just 15 years old. After Aaliyah’s death, Blackground Records crumbled and Hankerson made some publishing deals, however, according to sources he still owns the masters of Aaliyah’s released and unreleased music. For clarity, this is the same label that singer Jojo had a 7-year battle with to release her from her contract. Shady af

Here’s a list of other albums that are in the same chokehold as Aaliyah’s catalog

Aaliyah – Aaliyah

Aaliyah – One in a Million

Romeo Must Die Original Soundtrack

Ashley Parker Angel – Soundtrack to you Life

Toni Braxton – Libra

Tank – Force of Nature

Tank – One Man

Tank – Sex, Love & Pain

Timbaland & Magoo – Welcome to Our World

Timbaland & Magoo – Indecent Proposal

Timbaland & Magoo – Under Construction Pt. II

Listen, because I know the struggle, I have a little gift for you.

Below is a Youtube Playlist with a majority of the songs that you can not listen to anywhere else from our beloved baby girl.

A lot of you are probably just as in your feelings as I am about not being able to listen to Aaliyah as much as I’d like. What is your favorite Aaliyah album or track that you can’t stream and purchase/download?

What is your favorite Aaliyah album or track that you can’t stream and purchase/download?